Clasp.



J. C. HITCHNER.

CLASP.

APPLICATION HLED Aue.29,1914.

PatentedMar.28,1916.

Frazer UNITED STATES PArEnr OFFICE.

JOSEPH' C. HITGHNER, 0F PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR T0 H. AND R.

; GARTER (30., INCORPORATED, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNsYLVANIA.

CLASP.

To all whom it mag/concern:

Be it knownth'at I, JOSEPH C. HITcHNnR,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State. of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Clasps, of which the following. is a specification.

My invention relatesto improvements in clasps, and more particularly to a clasp designed for use on garters or-other similar garment supporters, and which is especially adapted foruse in connection with hosesuppcrtersto firmly grip the hoselwithout danger of tea-ring ordrawing-the threads there'-. of; and which will lieflat and smooth" against :the leg, renderingthe: clasp comfortable-for the user; i V

,A further object is' to providea clasp of the character stated which can be easily and quickly operated to grasp the hose or to release the hose, a simple movementof the thumborfinger being all that is necessary to'release the clasp.

A further object-is to provide a clasp of the character. stated which cannot accidentally release,-and which will be comparatively simple in construction cheapto manufacture and ornamental in appearance.

\Vith these and other objects in view, the I invention consists in'certain novel features of: construction and combinations and arrangements of parts as will be'more fully hereinafter described and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure l is a perspective view illustrating my improved-clasp in closed position. Fig. 2 is a rear View of the clasp on an enlarged scale. Fig. 3 is a view in vertical longitudinal section through the center of the clasp showing the same in closed position. Fig. lis a View similar to Fig. 3 showing the jclasp' in open or released position with the bail in the hook but before any tension vis applied to the bail by the movementof the pivot plate, and Fig; 5 is "a view inelevation of the locking bail. e

l representsa frame which-iscomposed of a single piece of wire-bentbetween its ends forming an oblong loop 2. The wires on the upper side of the loop 2' are-spaced apart and bent at right angles to theuppe'r mem' ber of the loop as shown at3, and extend upwardly parallel to each other as shown at Specification of Letters Patent.

v Patented Mar. 28, 1916. Application filed. August 29, 1914. Serial No. 859,148. Y e

sharp right angle forming journals 5,-and

then bend inwardly at an acute angle extending toward each other-in a general inclined direction as shown at6,iand' the extreme ends of. the wires are then bent forming a loop? preferably having rounded ends 8 as shown. The frame thus formed is bent outwardly at its intermediate portion as shown clearly in Figs. .3 and 4, so that the journals 5 are located" in a vertical plane in advance of the vertical plane of the loops 7 and 2 for a'purpose which will hereinafter appear. 1

V, 9 represents a plate which is secured to the front ofthe loop by means of tongues 10 on the ends ofthe plate which are bent around the the upper edge of this plate 9, I provideia relatively wide hook This bail l3 ispivotal1y connected t0 and carried by a pivot plate 14, and said pivot plate isprovided 'at its lower edge with bearings 15 formed by bending integral tongues on the edge of the pivot plate into cylindricalform and around the journals 5,

so that the plate 14 is free to pivot on the journals. At the upper edge of the plate 14, I provide a tongue 16 which is integral with the plate and located at the center. of

its upper edge, and at botli'sides of the tongue 16, *I provide on the plate integral sleeves 17 which receivethe inwardly bent ends 18 of bail 13J I would call particular attention to the shape of thebail 13 and the shape of the pivot plate 14. The bail 13, at its interme-' diate portion 12, is bowed upwardly to; pro- Vide rounded portions l9at the sides of the end portions of the, loop and at' 11 adapted to receive the intermediate portion '12 of a bail .13;

the pivot plate at its upper edge, wherev the sleeves 17 are located, is bent inwardly, so

that wl1en the pivot plate is in its closed or locking position, the sleeves 17 will be plane inside of the plane of journals 5. In other words, the ends 18 of the bail 13 will be forced past the pivot point of plate 14, and a positive lock will be had.

In operation, the hook 11 is placed underili;

' so that the ends 18 of'the bail are forced upwardlyand inwardly past the pivot point or center of the pivot plate 14. In assuming this position, the bail is expanded longitudinally, so that it obtains a tight gripping action, and also maintains the pivot points in the position shown in Fig. 3, requiring some force to overcome this spring tension before the bail can be released. The tongue 16 is, however, in a convenient position to receive the thumb'or finger of the operator and permit the same to be forced outwardly, and as soon as-the ends 18 are moved outwardly beyond the vertical plane of the journals 5, the elasticity of the bail will throw the bail to open or released position, It is therefore simply necessary forthe operator to force the tongue 16 outwardly and the elasticity of the bail will accomplish the further opening or releasing movement. In order to give this necessary elasticity, the wire'will, of course, be made of spring metal, and while my invention is not limited to any particular supporting means, I have shown a webbing 20 which is run through the upper loop 7 and against which the end of the tongue 16 is adapted to bear, so that it will be held out of engagement with the leg of;

' the user. I

Various slight changes might be made in the general form and arrangement of parts described without departing from my invention, and hence I do not limit myself to the precise details set forth, but consider myself at liberty to make such changes and alterations as fairly fall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention,what I claim as new and desiretosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. A clasp comprising a frame having a hook thereon at one-end, a pivot plate pivotally connected to an intermediate portion of the frame, and a spring bail pivotally connected tothe pivot plate at a point above the pivotal connection of the latter and having its side portions bowed, said bail adapted to be positioned in engagement with the hook and of a normal lengthshorter than the distance between the hook and the point of attachment of said bail with-the pivot plate when the latter is in its locking position, sub stantially as described.

2. A clasp comprising a frame having a hook thereon at one end, a pivot platepivotally connected to an intermediate portion of the frame, and a spring bail pivotally CO1]:

nected to the pivot plate at a point above the pivotal connection of the latter and hav- 1ng its sldeportions bowed, said bail adapted to be positioned inengagement with the hook and of a normal length shorter than, the distance between; the hook and the point of attachment of said ball with the pivot; plate when. the-latter is in its lockingposi' tion, said frame bent intermediate its; ends, 1

-whereby the pivot point .of the plate is 'located in a different. vertical plane from the pivot point of the bail when the pivot plate is in itslocking position,substantially as de1 scribed.

3. A:clasp comprising a wire frame having journals intermediate its ends projected out I wardly in a plane beyond the plane of the ends of the frame, a pivot-plate pivotally connected to said journals, ahook on one endof the frame, and anelastic bail pivot-- ally connected to the pivot plate at. f apoint above the pivot point of the latter, at a point above the pivot point of the latter, and adapted to engage the said hook,whereby the pivotal connection .of the bail and the pivot plate is located inwardly beyond the said journals when the pivot plate is in locking position, substantially as described.

4:. A clasp. comprising a frame having a, hook thereon at one end, a pivot plate pivotally connected toan intermediate portion;of the frame, and a spring bail pivotally con-. nected to the pivot plate at a pointabove the pivotal connection of the latter and hav. ing its side portions bowed,said bail adapt-f ed to be positioned in engagement vwith the hook and of a normal length shorter than the distance between the hook and the point of attachment of said bail with the. pivot plate when the latter is in its locking'position, and an operating tongue on the edge of said pivot plate, substantially as described.

5. A clasp, comprisinga frame having a hook thereon at one end, a pivot plate pivotally connected to an intermediate portion of the frame, and a spring bail pivot-ally con nectedto the pivot plate at a point abovethe pivotal connection of the latter and having its side portions bowed, said bail adapted'to be positioned in engagement with the hook and of a normal length shorter than the distance between the-hookand the point of attachment of said bail with the pivot plate when, the latter is in its locking position, said frame bent intermediate its ends, :whereby the pivot'point ofthe plate is-locatedin on the edge of said pivot plate, substantially no as described;

6. A clasp, comprising a wire frame having journals intermediate its ends projected outwardly beyond the plane of the ends of the frame, a pivot plate pivotally connected to said journals, a hook on one endvofthe frame, and an elastic bail pivotally connected to the pivot plate at a point above the pivot point of the latter and having its side portions bowed, and adapted to engage the said hook, whereby the pivotal connection of the bail and the pivot plate is located inwardly beyond the said journals when the pivot plate is in looking position, and an operating tongue on the edge of said pivot plate, substantially as described. 7

7. A clasp comprising a wire frame having loops at both ends, and having journals Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the intermediate its ends yond the plane of the to one of said loops, ally connected to the located in a plane beloops, a hook secured a pivoted plate pivotjournals, and a spring bail connected to the pivot plate above the pivotal connection of the latter and adapted to engage under the hook, said bail composed of a single piece of spring wire having its side portions bowed outwardly, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOSEPH C. HITCHNER. Witnesses:

C. R. ZIEGLER, CHAs. E. POTTS.

"Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, IMO. 

